lames licked desperately

skin. A drum rolled as the dancers beat their feet to the rhythm. Chatter and laughter laced throughout the crowd of three hundred lycans, males and females interlocked

ically moved his way, carr

ey each represented a season. The grounds were paved with river rock with stone stairs stone guidi

p that they were renown for before the Final War. The principal architect c

throne pointed into the shape of pine trees, the ends of the armrests curved into the form of a wolf"s head. His chair was adorned with silver decorations. Silver owls were strewn through

o a female that ap

her personal musk, stirring something pleasant inside of him. Hu

ure"s way of ensuring that they

lue eyes. Sava was of the Front Moon Clan, one of the esteemed Clans of Reiger. Legends say that the moon kissed

hought that Ludovic

g the traditional summer clothes for lycan females - a white, shoulderless cloth top that came just beneath the breasts, a black leather neckband holding it

oduced such beau

amined it momentarily before reaching out to grab it. Whe

ng an R, knowing that she would be a serious contender

ndant was the ulti

head, hanging on a steel chain. He noticed that the eye on the wolf h

Then one day, when you have your own younglings, you can have one made for them as well,"

maturation of a generation. If he were ever to wear it, it could

into his hand and

l of herself to him. She knew he could say no, that he should say no, d

," he said with

shoulders relaxing as if his words were th

me," she said

ay more. He and Sava had grown into a likely pair over the last year. S

cked away in respect. Ludovic glanced to her Clan, who

ublicly. Perhaps one day when he had a mate that wou

he metal warming the longer he held it. One of his Betas approached not too lon

the left of Ludovic. To his right was a

be fill

ker?" Erik asked, his v

ing Sava dance with her cousin

hs were invoking a new set of rules in the mate selection process, which was to remain abstin

n. He couldn"t even remember why

His entire Clan,

entirely on Erik, the blood that w

his Clan with wolfsbane, tied them up, adults and younglings, hung them upside down, slit their thr

veled down his spine, feeling his hackles ra

inue to take wing, despite h

Erik. "They nearly died the last time, their entire civil

normally sti

ave an alliance wit

raid. Deals with the

We are not sitting by while our own kind gets slaughtered for an initiation. The

thers Alphas f

teeth. He was not happy with this news. N

Ingram. All of the packs. Force them to work with us, despite whatever rumors float abou

As much as he enjoyed watching his Pack enjoy the thrills of life, he could no longer re

at all times. Delegate that schedule however you see fit," Ludovic

your R coming? That"s a

plied, slowly rubbing his eyes before leaning back

d no interest in trying to convince a human female to enjoy becoming a lycan, not whe

, not Sava," Erik said. Ludovic glanced

. "Only if she

an alpha. Take her. You

at all. I have an apparent war at my feet now. I"m not go

vic. We need them, especially with the human hunte

g his fingers on the arm of his wooden throne. "She will go to one of the Betas. If the youn

y can transfer the power of an R to their m

k, but I won"t budge on it. Yo

mate, she won"t

," Ludovic said, his

Ludovic. This would solidify your posi

l for something," Ludovic

ift again?" Erik asked. Ludovic always

serve my lycans, and I always will. Reiger gets everyth

n"t haunt you now, but the Beta t

ile. I am getting bor

e boredom. It"s

smoke of the fire and scents of everyone around.

hen to see the for

his tone. "Have the lycans go on a hunt to provide the meat and drink whatev

udovic alone on his throne. He leaned over, his elbows on his knees, his braids dangl

gaining momentum, then how long it would

the headlights of the vehicle confirming its arrival. The lights were

was